Mufti Sahib,
I wanted to ask that I have a farm and I do business of buying and selling goats but daily at least one goat dies.
Is it permissible for me to sell the dead goats?
(Imran, Limbe Malawi)
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب
The buying and selling of dead animals (carrion) is unlawful. If the animal is not slaughtered before death, then as per Shariah, its selling and subsequent earnings are forbidden.
In a lengthy Hadith recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, it is mentioned:
«ان الله ورسوله حرم بيع الخمر والميتة والخنزير والا صنام»
📕صحیح البخاری کتاب البیوع باب المیتة والاصنام(٢٢٣٦)
📘 صحيح مسلم كتاب المساقاة باب تحريم بيع الخمر والميتة والخنزير والاصنام (4048) (باب بيع الميتة والاصنام)
“Indeed, Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) have forbidden the sale of alcohol, dead animals, pigs, and idols.”
(Referenced in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
It is stated in Al-Hidayah:
”البيع بالميتة والدم باطل۔۔۔لانعدام رکن البیع، و ھو مبادلۃ المال بالمال، فان ھذہ الاشیاء لا تعد مالا عند احد“
“The sale of a dead animal (carrion) and blood is invalid because the essential pillar of sale — which is the exchange of 'Maal' for 'Maal' — is absent. This is because, according to all Imams, these things are not considered lawful property (maal).”
📗Al-Hidayah, Vol. 3, p. 42, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut)
It is mentioned in Fatawa Radawiyyah:
” جو جانور مردار ہو گیا بغیر ذبح شرعی کے مر گیا اس کا بیچنا حرام ہے اور اس کے دام حرام۔“
“An animal that becomes dead without proper Islamic slaughter (Zabh-e-Shar‘i) — selling it is forbidden, and the money earned from it is also unlawful.”
📓 (Fatawa Ridawiyyah, Vol. 17, p. 171, Raza Foundation, Lahore)
واللہ تعالٰی اعلم
Mufti Abdul Rehman Qadri
LMJ Quran Academy Malawi 🇲🇼
1 DhulHijjah 1447ھ